(Saint) (April 7) (2nd century) A Jew by birth, who flourished in the second century of our era and lived for many years in Rome, dying about A.D. 180, after his return to Jerusalem. He is reputed the father of Church History, from his having compiled an account of happenings in it, tracing the succession of Popes from Saint Peter to his own day. The work is unfortunately lost, but it is warmly commended by Saint Jerome and by Eusebius, who knew it. There is no proof at all that Saint Hegesippus was (as is sometimes advanced) a Judaizing Christian.